Problem: Cutting equilateral triangle $BFC$ out of square $ABCD$ and translating it to the left of the square creates the shaded figure $ABFCDE$. The perimeter of square $ABCD$ was 48 inches. What is the perimeter, in inches, of $ABFCDE$?

[asy]
filldraw((0,0)--(sqrt(3),1)--(sqrt(3)+2,1)--(2,0)--(sqrt(3)+2,-1)--(sqrt(3),-1)--(0,0)--cycle,gray,linewidth(1));
draw((sqrt(3),1)--(sqrt(3),-1),linewidth(1));
draw((sqrt(3)+2,-1)--(sqrt(3)+2,1)--(2,0)--(sqrt(3)+2,-1)--cycle,dashed);

label("A",(sqrt(3),1),N);
label("B",(sqrt(3)+2,1),N);
label("C",(sqrt(3)+2,-1),S);
label("D",(sqrt(3),-1),S);
label("E",(0,0),W);
label("F",(2,0),N);
[/asy]
Solution: Originally, every side length of the square had a length of 12.  Since the triangle is equilateral, each of its side lengths is also 12.  There are now a total of 6 sides, making for a perimeter of $\boxed{72}$.